


Friendly Face

by Nekoamamori



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 07:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14666130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nekoamamori/pseuds/Nekoamamori
Summary: You help Captain America as he's fleeing from shield the day he wakes from the ice





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it Jane

The shift in the ER that day was a nightmare. You’d gotten stuck with the laziest coworkers on the busiest day you’d seen in ages and on a double shift at that. So you spent the day running around the ER feeling like the only competent person in the whole ER, including the other doctors who were bound and determined that they were smarter than a ‘kid just out of med school’, no matter how many times you’d saved their asses from killing patients because of their own stupidity. Ok, stupidity wasn’t being entirely fair, the rest of the doctors were just as overworked as you were and didn’t spend enough time with the patients, unlike you. 

They also didn’t have a touch of the healing gift.

But no one knew about that. They didn’t know about the telepathy or the other little gifts you had.

They also tended to treat you like a child because of your short slim stature. It was annoying as fuck, especially when the patients did it. They always demanded a real doctor. At best they thought you a resident, or intern, or nurse. At worst, well you’d had to insist more than once that you were an adult and a fully qualified doctor and did they want someone fixing whatever stupid thing had landed them in the ER or not?

For some reason they thought you were perfectly capable when it was put to them that way. Amazing how that worked.

So after a horrible day at work, you were quite content to hit up a Starbucks in times square to get enough caffeine in your system to safely make it home. You sat outside with your coffee, playing on your phone, enjoying the sunny afternoon and trying to decide if you were going to take the subway or suck it up and take the walk home.

You looked up at the commotion, though you lived in New York, so you really didn’t think much of it. It was a strange sight, though, of the large man running out of a a building. Caucasian, mid-twenties maybe, sandy brown hair, lots of muscles, white shirt, brown pants, a big disk strapped to his back. It might not have been so strange if the large man didn’t look so scared... so vulnerable. That expression did not belong on the face of a man that size, that well-built.

The situation got stranger when even though he was being chased out of the building by people in black suit, he still stopped and spun in a circle, taking in times square as if he’d never seen it before, as if he’d dropped in from an alien spaceship, though he appeared very much human. 

A moment passed and he came to his senses, continuing on his run and you made a decision, a stupid-ass decision, really, but it wasn’t like you to not help people in need. So you put on your best cute innocent harmless doctor look and stepped out into his path, your coffee forgotten on the table you’d been sitting at. He paused, looking like he was going to dart around you, but his expression caught on you, intrigued by the girl who stepped into his path. 

You held up your hands in front of you, showing him you were unarmed. “Those guys look like they’re giving you trouble,” you told him gently. “Sir, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I can help you,” he looked wary at best, but hesitated, glancing over his shoulder at the approaching me. “Please, I’m a doctor, I wouldn’t lie about helping someone,” you urged him with your best kind, gentle look. He finally nodded, as if wondering what else he had to lose. “This way!” you took his large warm hand in yours and pulled him toward the side street that the Starbucks was on the corner of. You ran a few steps, then stopped and pushes him against the wall, standing too close to him so you could cloak you both in an illusion.

“What-?” he started.

“Shh,” you hissed in reply, stupidly placing your hand over the strange man’s mouth as the people in black suits entered the side street. They ran right past where you were holding the strange muscled man against the wall through nothing more than your hand on his mouth and his consent at being held there. He could have snapped you in half had he wanted, but he seemed to realize that you were doing something to keep the people in suits from seeing you both.

You stepped back from him and removed your hand from his mouth after the last of the suited people ran past. “Sorry about that. I can only hide us from sight. They would’ve still heard us,” you told him shyly. He looked so confused. “Are you alright?” you asked him.

“T-this isn’t right,” he says, looking at the screens around you. Looking like he was close to panicking.

“Hey big guy, it’s ok,” you told him gently. “Breathe, you don’t want to hyperventilate,” you bid him warmly, using your well practiced doctor voice. He took one breath. Another. “I’m Doctor Y/N. Can you tell me your name? Or should I just keep calling you big guy?” you teased a little and he actually gave you a small smile.

“Captain Steve Rogers, ma’am,” he replied. 

Of course he was.

Now that he said it, you saw it. Who didn’t know of Captain America and how he’d gone down with his plane in WWII? Who didn’t know of the infamous Super Soldier? Hell, he even had an exhibit at the Smithsonian. 

“Pleasure to meet you, Captain Rogers,” you replied warmly. He still looked wary and confused, that same vulnerable expression. He was clearly at a loss over something. “Something besides those guys in suits seems to be bothering you. Wanna talk it over, over a cup of coffee?” you asked him kindly, too impulsively, but you couldn’t just let him keep running scared like he’d been. 

He thought about it for a moment, though looked concerned. “I wouldn’t want to put you in danger,” he finally says, looking around as if for the people in suits.

“They won’t see us, at least not for awhile,” you reassured him quickly. You gave him a bright smile and he warmed some. “C’mon, coffee, my treat,” you bid him and gestured back toward the Starbucks. He nodded, accepting the small reprieve. Your coffee was long gone, and had been out of your sight too long to be considered a safe drink anymore. You went inside the Starbucks with him and placed a new order from yourself then looked to him. He stared at the board confused. “How do you take your coffee?” you asked him kindly.

“Black and strong,” he replied automatically. You smirked and placed an order for him too, then went to sit outside with him at one of the little outdoor tables. You sat in comfortable silence for a little while, he seemed to relax at the normalcy of sipping on a cup of coffee.

“No pressure, but do you want to talk about it?” you asked him gently.

He gave you a look, considered what you were asking. He didn’t seem to consciously decide to answer, but words started tumbling out of his mouth. You weren’t surprised, it was part of being around you, one of your gifts was your calming presence, and people opened up to you despite whether they intended to or not. “Last thing I remember was putting my plane in the water to save New York. Then I wake up today in that building. They set it up a room in there, a trick like I was still in the 1940s, but everything was just a little wrong. The radio was playing a baseball game I attended in person, the woman’s tie was too wide, her hair, her-” he trailed off. “It’s not the 1940s anymore, is it?” he asked, looking around.

“No,” you told him gently, but clearly. He looked up at you, waiting for more. “It’s 2011. Everyone thought you died when you crashed the plan. Apparently, that wasn’t the case...”

“Apparently...” he replied dryly. You both sat in shocked revelation at that bombshell and sipped on your coffee while you processed it. “Why did you help me?” he asked.

You shrugged. “It was the right thing to do,” you told him as if that was obvious. He smiled fondly, the words stirring up a pleasant memory. 

“How long did you say you can hide us?” he asked, his voice concerned, as black SUVs started to surround you.

“Apparently, not that long,” you admitted as you both got to your feet. He looked around for an escape, but you were surrounded.

People in suits started getting out of the SUVs and you could see their guns. Shit. You tried to think of something to do, but there was nowhere to run and there were too many of them. 

In one swift movement, he slung the disk off of his back and it finally registered that it was the Captain America shield. You hadn’t realized earlier, simply because you hand’t been looking for it, hadn’t expected Captain America to show up out of nowhere. He pulled you to him, tucking you safely against his warm side, the shield up in front of you to defend you.

“At ease, soldier!” a voice belonging to a man with an eyepatch and long black trench coat called as he stepped closer. Captain Rogers lowered the shield a little but kept it in position to defend you. “Look, I’m sorry about that little show back there but... we thought it best to break it to you slowly,”

“Break what?” Captain Rogers asked defensively.

“You’ve been asleep, Cap, for almost seventy years,” he paused to let Cap process that, but he’d already processed it over your coffee. “You ok?”eyepatch man asked.

Cap nodded, his eyes distracted as he remembered something. “Yeah... just...I had a date...” he said softly, sadly. The words broke your heart. This poor man had lost an entire lifetime. It sounded like he had lost his love too. All you wanted to do was heal that terrible wound... 

“Why don’t we go inside and talk about what happened?” eyepatch man asked kindly, though his voice was gruff. Cap’s arm tightened around you, as if your kindness was the only thing keeping him grounded in some semblance of normalcy. “She should come with us. She’s involved in this now too...” he finally said when he realized that Cap wasn’t going to come without you with him. He also seamed to realize that you had a calming effect on almost everyone around, especially right now when you were trying. You saw in his eye that he thought you had something to do with why it took so long to find Cap. 

You were coming with them regardless now.

So with Cap’s arm around you and his shield held up to defend you, you found yourself going with eyepatch man and the people in suits, back to the building Cap had run from.

So much for going home from your double shift and going to bed.

But helping Captain America was definitely worth a little lack of sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must love you Jane

    You went with the men into the government agency looking building. You found out later it was indeed a government agency called SHIELD. Cap stayed beside you the entire trip up to one of the highest floors of the building. You were surrounded by suits the entire walk to the conference room and you couldn’t help being more than a little intimidated by them all. You hadn’t wanted to draw the attention of a government agency, you’d been hiding your abilities from notice as long as you could remember.

    Cap must’ve sensed your discomfort since he stayed extra close to your side. His shield was back on his back and he exuded such an air of confidence, not to mention he was huge, strong, well muscled, and so definitely on your side that you couldn’t help feel safe in his presence. “Don’t fear, ma’am,” he told you softly while you were in the elevator with a pair of suits.

    You smiled up at him. “Captain Rogers, it’s Y/N,” you reminded him with a hint of a smirk. “I guess ‘Doctor’ if you want to be formal, but seriously, no need,” you reassured him brightly, sounding a lot braver than you felt.

    He gave you a smile, both of you ignoring the pair of suits. “Then it’s Steve, not Captain Rogers,” he told you kindly. You gave him a warm smile.

    “Deal,” you replied, earning a chuckle and you both relaxed, seeming to have formed some kind of bond over the situation you found yourselves in.

    The angry pirate man, Director Fury, spent a long, very boring time lecturing you and Cap... Steve... you corrected yourself, in one of the conference rooms, going over what SHIELD was and what had happened to Steve etc, etc.

    The angry pirate man whirled on you and you steeled your spine, as you looked across the table at him. “So how did a doctor just out of med school get tied up with SHIELD and Captain America?” he asked you. “And how on Earth did you hide from us?” he demanded. Steve stiffened beside you, defensive over the person who had helped him.

    “Director,” Steve said to Fury, his tone warning Fury to be nice to you.

    “My mother was... the closest term is a witch. I have a little power, including the little charm that hid us from view for awhile,” you told him modestly. You could do that little charm and a few other things. You really didn’t have much power, or so you kept telling yourself. “As to the other? I’m a doctor. I saw someone in need, so I helped him,”

    “Well, Doctor Y/N, I think you’d be a great addition to SHIELD. We always need more doctors, your gifts would be helpful, and...” he glances ever so briefly at Steve. You were the only one Steve seemed to like right now. It wasn’t surprising. “I can guarantee we pay better than the hospital,” he ended instead.

    You shouldn’t have made a rash decision, but a position where all of you would be appreciated? He didn’t seem hesitant about your age, your appearance. They only cared about your skills.

    “It sounds like an excellent opportunity,” you finally replied with a smile.

    After a few assessments the details were sorted. Fury was right. They _were_ generous with your salary. You put in your notice at the hospital, though Fury took care of getting you out of there without burning bridges and without having to work out your two week’s. You had no idea how he managed that.

    After all that was taken care of, nearly a month of friendship with Steve later, Fury pulled you aside. “We’re sending Captain Rogers out to live in one of the safehouses for a few weeks so he can adjust to being in the world again. Would you be willing to go with him? I think having a doctor and friend with him will do him good,”

    “Of course, director,” you replied, willing to do pretty much anything to help your friend.

    “Great, I’ll send you all of the details and you can head out after your shift in the infirmary,” he told you and headed off without waiting for confirmation. You rolled your eyes and went to the infirmary. You patched up the SHIELD agents, but your main job seemed to be taking care of Steve, though no one would say that. Anytime he came to ask questions or just looked panicky, someone else took over the infirmary and you were freed to help him.

    He always had time for a cup of coffee and sometimes you poured over google together catching him up on things he’d missed while he’d been in the ice. Sometimes he was overwhelmed and just wanted to sit in silence with his army-strength coffee.

    After your shift you went to his room and knocked on the door. He opened it a moment later, dressed in simple jeans and a t-shirt that hugged his body. You could have sworn that whoever bought his clothes had purposely bought things that would be form fitting...

    You minded oh so much.

    So much

    As in not a damn bit

    “Doctor?” he greets you with a hint of the question of why you were here. The room behind him was army clean and sterile. You didn’t know how he could deal with it. You could also tell how he was feeling by how he addressed you.

    You gave him a warm smile. “Pack a bag, Rogers,” you told him, a grin and a hint of laughter, teasing, normalcy in your voice. He appreciated that you were the only one around here who didn’t tiptoe around him, who tried to be as normal as possible. “Fury wants us to go to one of the safe houses for a few weeks,” you explained.

    “Did he say why?” Steve asked.

    “He didn’t spell it out, but thinks you’ll adjust easier to being in the world again with fewer people around,” you confided. No one else would have bothered telling him. He nodded his understanding. “And I get a vacation from the infirmary so you don’t have to go alone,” you added. He laughed at that. “I best go pack. See ya in a few,” you waved and headed down the hall to your own room to pack your things.

    Steve knocked on your door right as you were finishing packing. You opened the door, your bag in your hand. “Ready, doll?” he asked, then flushed when he realized he’d slipped into old slang again.

    “Whenever you are, Winghead,” you teased, a silly nickname from the wings on his helmet. He huffed and rolled his eyes.

    “I deserved that,” he laughed, making you laugh too.

    “C’mon soldier. Vacation time,” you teased.

    He took your bag from you, despite your protest that you could carry it just fine yourself. “My mother taught me better, ma’am,” he told you with a smirk of teasing.

    You rolled your eyes and huffed at the silly soldier, though he didn’t usually show anyone this side. He was always so serious, like he had to be the Captain 24/7. You saw it grated on him, which was usually when he came to have coffee with you.

    He loaded your bags into the SUV and grudgingly let you drive, only because you reminded him that the rules of the road had changed since he last drove. You also had to remind him to put on his seatbelt.

    You drove carefully to the safehouse in the middle of nowhere. Fury insisted that it was stocked with groceries already, so you didn’t have to worry about that. You just had to worry about helping your friend readjust to the world.

    It sounded like a huge undertaking, but Steve was your friend after all. Of course you’d help however you could.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Jane with love

    It was a long drive out to the safehouse. You listened to the radio for awhile, but when Steve seemed to get overwhelmed, you turned on your ipod, which had familiar music for him. You didn’t care what you listened to, as long as the background wasn’t silence. You had to stop once to feed the super soldier. That boy could _eat_. He didn’t complain, but you knew how high his metabolism was so you found a comfortable little hole in the wall diner on the way. It was a little mom and pop place that Steve found comfortable, even though it wasn’t something that was technically around from before. It had the same feel to it. Sometimes that was more important to him than things he could actually remember.

    The waitress was polite, but too flirty with Cap. He laughed it off, but you could see he was uncomfortable. He didn’t like to admit he had anxiety, especially when it came to women throwing themselves at him, or just being too nice to him. He seemed self conscious about his looks, and hated when women flirted with him just because of them.

    The meal was greasy and delicious, just as a diner should be. You let Cap pay with the cash from his money clip. It made him happy to use the old fashioned courtesy and Fury always made sure Cap’s paychecks were in actual cash instead of check or direct deposit like everyone else in the universe. You didn’t go out with him often, but on the rare events that you did get him out of the SHIELD building, he always insisted on paying, no matter how many times you offered. He always gave you a warm smile when you offered, pleased by the offer.

    You got back on the road after the stop at the delicious diner and finished the drive to the safehouse. You didn’t know what you were expecting the safehouse to be, Fury had just given you an address. You weren’t expecting the cabin in the woods that you parked in front of when the GPS said you arrived.

    No, it was a cottage in the forest.

    That was _very_ different from a cabin in the woods.

    Cabins in the woods were settings or horror movies.

    You insisted this was a cottage in the forest, that sounded more Disney.

    “Looks like this is it,” you told Steve as you got out of the SUV to stretch from the long drive. Steve followed suit. You left the bags in the car and made your way up to the cottage to check it out before you unpacked. You had the key in your hand and was about to open the door when Steve took it from you and maneuvered his body so you were behind him and you noted that his shield was on his back. His body language said he didn’t _expect_ there to be danger, but that he wasn’t going to be stupid about it either.

    And he _definitely_ wasn’t going to let you put yourself in potential danger.

    So he pushed you ever so gently and gallantly behind him that you couldn’t figure out how to complain that you were capable of defending yourself and entered the cottage first, sweeping it for danger before he’d let you follow him inside. The cottage was cute a simple little place with a living room, small dining area near the kitchen and two bedrooms up the stairs.

    “Why don’t you check out the place, doll, and choose a room, and I’ll bring the bags in?” Steve ‘suggested.

    You rolled your eyes. “I’m perfectly capable of helping bring the bags in, winghead,” you reminded him.

    He grinned at your teasing, at how normally you treated him. “Of course you are, but I’m a genetically engineered super soldier who can probably bench press that SUV whose mother raised him right,” he told you with a smirk and went to go get the bags and the bags of groceries that SHIELD had sent with you so you didn’t have to go out while you were on your vacation unless you wanted to. He also went before you could argue with him.

    Annoying soldier

    You sighed and climbed the stairs to the bedrooms. The upstairs was small and only had the two bedrooms and a bathroom between them. Great. You were sharing with the stupidly attractive soldier.

    He was a gentleman so it shouldn’t be an issue. Still, it was kinda weird...

    The two bedrooms were identical, still, you picked one and left your jacket on the bed so he’d know which one you’d claimed. On the first trip he brought the groceries in, so you put them away while he carried your bags upstairs.

    It was getting late, so you dug something easy to munch on from the groceries and settled on the couch in the living room. Steve joined you a minute later, settling comfortably on the other end of the couch. “Wanna watch a movie?” you asked him, looking at the DVD shelf.

    “Sure,” he replied and let you pick. You chose something you thought he’d like and set up the movie before curling back up on the couch under the warm throw blanket that had been laid on the back of the couch.

    You didn’t remember the plot of the movie.

    You weren’t sure you remembered more than the first five minutes of it.

    You’d already had a long day during your shift in the infirmary and then had a long drive on top of it.

    You didn’t remember the movie

    But you thought you remembered the warm masculine sigh, big strong muscled arms lifting you from the couch, with a gentle tenderness that shouldn’t have been possible of someone that big. You remembered the absolute warmth and safety of being cradled and held by someone so caring. You remembered the feel of Steve’s chest, his scent, how soft his shoulder was when your head was resting on it.

    Surely you were dreaming, right?

    He was just your friend.

    Of course he couldn’t be more. He was pining over a lost love from before the ice.

    It was just a dream thought up by your hopeless romantic of a brain

    So why did you remember a kiss on your forehead as you were tucked into bed?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Jane with much love <3

    You woke briefly to Steve’s usual 6am alarm. You smiled warmly at his old army habits as the alarm shut off after it went off only once. He wasn’t one to hit the snooze button. You shifted more comfortably to doze back off for a little while. You knew Steve would be exercising for the next hour or so, so you could gladly roll back over and get some more sleep. This was your vacation. You were sleeping in.

    You did finally get up a couple hours later, after Steve had finished whatever army regulation exercises he was doing and had gotten a shower. You heard the shower running since it was between your bedrooms and your helpful brain decided that it should imagine what he looked like _in_ said shower.

    Stupid brain.

    You shoved that thought from your mind and tried to cool the blush on your cheeks as grabbed a change of clothes and your toiletries. You were leaning on the wall outside the bathroom when he came out, in nothing but old jeans a towel in his hands. You smirked at him from your vantage point, admittedly enjoying the view. “Hope you left me some hot water, Rogers,” you teased as you started to walk past him into the bathroom.

    He laughed “I tried, but who knows how well the hot water heater works in this cabin in the woods-”

    “Cottage in the forest!” you corrected him quickly. He raised an eyebrow at the correction. You sighed. “Cabins in the woods are in horror movies as places stupid people go to die. Cottages in the forest are settings for vacations and Disney movies,” you told him a bit defensively.

    He chuckled. “Fine, who knows how well the hot water heater works in this cottage in the forest,” he corrected himself, with a wide smile at you. You huffed and his expression softened. “Hey, doll, it’s safe out here. Fury wouldn’t have sent us somewhere that was dangerous. Besides, if something _does_ somehow attack us, you know I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Not that you’re not perfectly capable of defending yourself,” he added quickly.

    You smiled warmly at him, grateful that he wasn’t teasing you too badly about your insistence on the proper term for this place. “You still better have left me some hot water,” you told him.

    He laughed. “I’ll make you breakfast to make it up to you, just in case,” he promised.

    “Deal,” you laughed and headed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind you. Steve was a gentleman and wouldn’t peek, but that didn’t mean you were going to torture the poor guy. You showered quickly and dried your hair. You padded barefoot downstairs to find Steve at the stove cooking eggs and bacon. “Hey soldier,” you greeted him before you entered the room so you wouldn’t startle him. Things tended to break when he got startled. “You’re in luck, there was enough hot water so I don’t have to kill you today,” you teased him.

    He turned to look at you and laughed, his attention mostly on the eggs so he didn’t burn them. “I still made you breakfast, just in case,” he told you with a smile. “Glad the bribe isn’t necessary, though,” he added.

    “Thanks for making sure I got to bed alright last night,” you told him before you forgot. It was a kindness that he’d carried you to bed when he really hadn’t had to.

    He gave you a warm smile “Couldn’t let my best girl sleep on the couch,” he told you automatically, his cheeks a little red you noted. You blushed a little at that, sure Steve had misspoken. ‘Best girl’ was old slang for ‘girlfriend’ surely he hadn’t meant that...

    Surely.

    “It was still nice of you,” you told him and turned to dig in the cabinets to find the plates and silverware, getting out of this conversation before it got awkward. You were _sure_ he had misspoken. Or you’d mistranslated his old forties’ slang.

    There was coffee already and you set the table while Steve finished cooking. He brought in the plates of breakfast as you were setting out glasses of orange juice too. It was comfortable working with him on simple domestic things. You’d formed a comfortable friendship over the last few weeks.

    “So what’dya wanna do today?” you asked him over breakfast. “There’s hiking trails, I think there were some fishing poles, books, an internet to scroll, I think there was even a gym in the basement,” you told him all the things you’d found so far. “You also don’t have to spend the time with me!” you clarified quickly. “I’m perfectly capable of entertaining myself and this is your vacation,”

    He laughed at how flustered you were “I would like to teach you how to throw a proper punch,” he teased. He saw your SHIELD assessment and knew that you had no physical fighting ability.

    “I’m not sure that’s why Fury sent us out here,” you teased.

    “I’m sure it’s not,” he agreed warmly. “But I don’t like you not being able to defend yourself, especially since danger follows me around like a puppy, and you insist on spending time in my company,” he teased.

    “Of course I do, you’re my friend. Fine, fine, I’ll learn how to throw a proper punch, but we’re not spending all of the trip working on teaching me to fight,” you told him firmly. He chuckled.

    “I can agree to that,” he replied.

    You finished your breakfast in companionable light conversation and you did the dishes. It was only fair since he’d made breakfast. You spent an hour down in the gym with him and he taught you the absolute basics of self defense, including how to throw a proper punch. It was ridiculous working with him, since there was no way you were going to be capable of moving his huge form, but you still let him teach you anyway.

    After that, you spent most of the rest of the day sitting by the lake. You had a book to read and Steve was sketching the wildlife. Or you thought he was sketching the wildlife. You went in to the cottage to get you both fresh glasses of lemonade and caught a peek at his sketchbook as you grabbed his glass. You also caught the flush on his cheeks.

    He had been sketching you.

    It was a soft picture of your fond enjoyment of your book as you read.

    The likeness was remarkable. You knew that Steve loved art and was good at drawing. You hadn’t known how good. You also didn’t know how he’d captured that look of happiness on your face. You’d been rereading one of your alltime favorite books and couldn’t help your fond expression at being reunited with some of your favorite fictional friends. He’d recorded that expression perfectly.

    The drawing also had a certain softness, a gentleness to it.

    Almost as if...

    Almost as if the person who drew it cared very deeply for the subject.

    Or maybe even loved her

    


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Jane with much love

    You decided not to ask Steve about the drawing that day. You didn’t want to embarrass him and he was so easily flustered. You’d ask him about it later. Maybe. Or just steal his sketchbook to see if there were others. Yes, that sounded like a much better plan. Maybe while he was in the shower. You’d have to wait a few days so his guard was down before you attempted it.

    You also knew that Steve was overprotective. You hadn’t quite appreciated it until you were living alone with him. “You don’t have to stay up with me,” you told him your second night there. It was past the hour he usually retired and you were sitting out on the porch with your laptop, scrolling the internet. Of course the safehouse cabin had excellent wifi. “I have a strange sleep schedule and probably won’t go to bed for awhile,”

    “I don’t mind,” he reassured you, lying through his teeth. You nodded and ‘decided’ to go into the cabin. He locked all the cabin doors himself and checked the cabin to make sure it was safe. He was still uneasy until you went upstairs to your own room. You could just as easily surf the web from your bed as you could from the couch in the living room, and it made Steve happier knowing you were safely on the second floor with him where you were easier to defend.

    Overprotective soldier.

    *

    Your days fell into a pattern. You spent the mornings training with Steve. You realized quickly that under the army training and everything he’d learned later in life, his basic combat skills came from the perspective of someone constantly fighting larger opponents. That perspective really helped you learn and you found yourself enjoying learning the basic combat skills.

    You’d spend the afternoon enjoying nature around the cottage. It seemed to make Steve happy to be outside, especially when he got to sit and relax and draw for awhile.

    The evenings were taken up with catching Steve up on history and pop culture.

    About a week after you started this trip, Steve spoke up on what he wanted to do that day. “We should check out those hiking trails,” he told you warmly. He didn’t usually speak up, and while hiking wasn’t your most favorite activity, but you’d go for him.

    “Sure,” you told him brightly and you packed a small backpack of supplies. You didn’t need much, but thought it would be a good idea to have some bottles of water and snacks for the super soldier especially. That boy could eat.

    You zipped up the backpack and weren’t surprised at all that Steve took it from you to carry himself. “I’m perfectly capable of carrying a tiny backpack of supplies,” you had to protest anyway. You weren’t weak or helpless just because you weren’t a supersoldier.

    “Of course you’re not, doll,” he told you warmly as he slung the bag onto his back. “But my mother raised me right,” he teased, just as he always did when he was insisting on proper manners.

    You sighed and rolled your eyes, but as always you were pleased with his old fashioned courtesy. “Whatever you say, winghead,” you teased and he laughed in reply.

    You walked side by side along the trail with Steve, both trading old stories from when you were kids. He had much better stories and you learned all about his best friend Bucky, and all the times he’d gotten beaten up fighting bullies.

    At least you knew why he fought like he was used to fighting against bigger opponents.

    He kept his pace human slow for you, strolling along the trails companionably. “C’mon Y/N, we’re almost at the top!” he told you excitedly and took your hand to drag you the rest of the way up the rise you’d been climbing. He wanted to see the view from the top, presumably to sketch it later. You were out of breath, not used to physical exertion like hiking all afternoon even at human pace, the trails were still through the woods, but Steve really wanted to get to this rise and you couldn’t argue with his enthusiasm.

    You made it to the top of the rise and looked out at the ocean of trees surrounding the hill you were on. It was admittedly a gorgeous view. There were trees as far as you could see, though there was a little stream or something similar at the bottom of the hill you were on so there was a small break before the treeline.

    You were both standing at the edge of the overlook, a reasonably safe distance from the actual edge. Or so you thought, until the edge crumbled from under your feet. The entire world fell out from beneath you and you shrieked as you fell.

    “Y/N!” Steve yelled from the top of the overlook where he still had purchase. You fell down the wall of the overlook, trying to reach for purchase, trying to do something to slow your descent as you hit the wall on the way down. It only took an instant and there was nothing you could do. You landed hard, not at the bottom of the ravine like you’d feared, but on an outcropping of rock barely big enough to support you maybe halfway down. You yelled again when you landed hard on one ankle, which promptly gave out and you crumbled in a heap. “Y/N! Are you alright?” Steve demanded helplessly from the top of the ravine.

    “I’m ok!” you called back when you calmed your breathing enough to reply. “Ankle’s busted, though, and I don’t think I can climb back up!”

    “I’ll get you back up, just hold tight!” Steve called down to you. You couldn’t see him easily from your terrible vantage point and you weren’t risking moving and falling further. It was a miracle you’d hit this rock instead of falling to more injury. You wouldn’t consider that you could’ve died.

    You didn’t know where he got it from, but a rope came down to you a minute later. “Tie that around yourself and I’ll pull you up!” Steve called.

    “Are you sure?” you asked hesitantly, unsure how he was going to pull you up the side of the cliff.

    “I’ve lifted 800 pounds before. I can manage one injured doctor” he replied, with the sound of an eyeroll in his voice. You tied the rope around your middle and held onto it in front of you.

    “Alright!” you called and you quickly, but carefully, began to rise back up the side of the cliff. As you rose, you saw that Steve was just deadpulling the rope, not even tethering it on anything. The muscles in his arms were working at lifting you carefully and even though you were terrified, you could appreciate the view, since Steve was _strong_ and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to you. The second you were close enough he grabbed you by the arm and hauled you the rest of the way up, wrapping his warm strong arms around you tightly.

    “I’ve got you, you’re safe,” he promised as he looked you over to make sure you were actually ok. “How injured are you?” he asked after he’d held you long enough to appease himself that you weren’t actively dying.

    “I landed hard on my ankle. It’s not broken, but it’s not happy with me either,” you told him. You’d looked it over quickly, but you were a doctor and knew the difference between a broken ankle and a twisted one on sight.

    Steve swept you up into his arms effortlessly. “C’mon, doll, let’s get you back to the cottage and we can get that fixed up,” he told you, his voice worried. You didn’t argue since you couldn’t walk and wrapped your arms around his neck. He carried you the entire miles walk back without stopping or setting you down once.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jane, I must love you. This chapter took ALL DAY

    Steve carried you all the way back to the cottage with seemingly no effort on his part. You would have fought him on it had he been putting any effort into carrying you. But since your weight was inconsequential to the giant super soldier, you didn’t argue with him, since you couldn’t walk on your own. He set you gently on the couch in the living room and disappeared before you could say anything. He came back a moment later with your med kit, which was more extensive than the first aid kit that had been here already. “Give it here,” you held your hands up for the med kit.

    “I can do it,” Steve insisted defensively and proceeded to drop to one knee on the floor in front of you. He carefully lifted your leg and placed your ankle on his leg. He looked it over with the experience of an army man with first aid training. “It’s not broken,”

    You huffed and rolled your eyes. “I told you that already, Winghead,” you teased him. “I’m the doctor here. I should know. It just needs wrapped and iced for awhile,” you insisted. He nodded and proceeded to carefully wrap your ankle, still refusing to hand over your med kit to you. You were afraid that his strength would be a hindrance here, that he would hurt you while he was trying to help, but he was gentle while he worked on your ankle. His hands were callused, working hands, but he was so soft and gentle while he worked.

    Soon he had you bundled up on the couch under a blanket with a fluffy novel to read, your ankle propped up on a pillow on the coffee table in front of you with ice on it.

    He wouldn’t allow you to walk anywhere for the next week. Though you drew the line at the bathroom. He wasn’t helping you in there. He relented. Reluctantly. You spent your time around the cabin or at the lake while you were recovering and Steve didn’t seem to mind one bit. It was relaxing to lounge at the lake with your book and your happily sketching Steve. You even legitimately posed for him once when he asked.

    *

    On the last night of your little vacation you were sitting out at the lake with Steve watching the fireflies. He’d built a little campfire for you to sit by and you roasted marshmallows and mades s’mores like kids while you sat and talked and just relaxed. It was the perfect end to the vacation. All of your stuff was packed to head back to shield in the morning, your ankle had healed enough that you didn’t need to have it wrapped anymore, though you wouldn’t be running any marathons on it anytime soon.

    Steve was looking a lot better for your vacation, more at ease and happier having caught up with some of the things he’d missed while he’d been under the ice. You thought he was also doing better with only having you to deal with. He’d admitted that he wasn’t the most social person and you’d surmised that he had social anxiety, though that wasn’t a diagnosed thing back in the forties. He had befriended you, though, and that helped him with his anxiety.

    You both looked up when you heard a noise in the woods around you.

    You wanted to ignore it, to think it was an animal that had wandered too close. But animals didn’t have walkie-talkies. Steve stood with a stealthy grace you didn’t know he possessed and picked up his shield from next to him. “Go inside, lock the doors. Do not open them until I come to get you,” he told you in a whisper as you got to your feet.

    “What about you?” you protested stupidly.

    “I’m a genetically engineered super soldier. I’ll be fine. Now get inside so I know you’re safe,” he told you firmly. You nodded and he covered your back while you went back into the cottage, which was becoming more and more cabin-in-the-woods-like. You locked the door when you were safely inside and Steve rushed off to investigate the noise.

    At least you thought you were safely inside.

    You were inside after all.

    But so were the intruders.

    And you’d just locked yourself in with them.

    You noticed this when you heard the sound of boots behind you. Heard the gun cock.

    Steve was gone. The boy ran fast.

    Fuck.

    “Put your hands up where I can see them,” the man’s voice came from behind you. You slowly raised your hands above you, but you weren’t giving this man what he wanted. You flicked your wrist and threw a flash of light into his face. When he yelled in surprise you yanked the door open and ran through it as fast as you could. You ran straight for the woods, knowing he would have a harder time pursuing you once you were surrounded by trees. So you ran, pushing your weak ankle as hard as you could as you attempted to run in the direction that you thought Steve had gone.

    You heard your pursuer behind you, heard gunshots as he attempted to stop you from running. Heard him shouting. You didn’t pay attention to anything except not tripping over tree roots, your own two feet, or running into a tree.

    You lost your pursuer at some point.

    However, you also lost your way.

    And realized that you were out in the woods with no jacket, phone, or light. There was just enough moonlight to make sure you didn’t fall on your face, but no more. You also hadn’t been running in a straight line in order to lose your pursuer.

    In short you were completely and utterly lost.

    And you had no idea what to do.

    You couldn’t see the cottage or your fire. Couldn’t hear anything but the sounds of the forest around you. You summoned a little ball of fire to keep you warm while you tried to figure out what to do. You found a fallen log to sit on. Your ankle was killing you and was throbbing noticeably now that the adrenaline had gone from you flight of fear. You sat on that log for a long time waiting for some kind of plan. This was outside of your area of expertise.

    And as if your luck couldn’t get worse, it started to rain.

    It took effort to keep your little ball of fire going in your hands in the rain, but you were determined to keep the heat and light as long as you could, though you crouched over it, protecting it from as much of the rain as you could as the water soaked through your clothes instantly.

    “Y/N! Y/N! Are you out here?” you heard Steve’s worried voice call who knew how long afterwards. You jumped to your feet.

    “STEVE!” you shouted, hoping he could hear you over the rain. You drew more power to make your little ball of fire brighter. The noise of someone coming through the forest came closer and you prayed it was Steve. They had sped up when you called, and sped up again when they were close enough to see your flame.

    It was Steve and he rushed over to you as you vanished the flame and wrapped his arms around you tightly. “I was so worried!” he told you as he crushed you to him. “The house was empty and I saw where they’d broken in-” he stopped talking and stepped back to look you over and make sure you weren’t hurt.

    And then he pulled you close

    And his lips were suddenly on yours

    He was warm and soft. Gentle even as he kissed you desperately as if to make sure you were real. You melted into the kiss, your arms going around his neck as he held you tightly to him. You hadn’t thought it would ever happen. You thought he was still in love with his lost love. But it had, and it was perfect though you were both drenched to the bone.

    You didn’t want the moment to end.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> collabed with Jane. Much love <3

You didn't want the moment to end.

Not one bit, but alas all good things had to come to an end. 

Especially since you were drenched to the bone and shivering, even pressed against Cap’s warmth.

Though you weren’t really sure if you were shivering from the rain, the frigid air, or the butterflies in your stomach from the wonderful kiss.It was a toss up.

Steve must have noticed your shivering because he began to lead you back to the cottage, his arm wrapped around you keeping you tucked against his side where you’d be warm at the very least, though no more dry. "I'm sorry,” he said softly as you made your careful way back to the cottage.You looked up at him confused and he continued. “I should have asked before I…” he turned red, clearly embarrassed and uncomfortable with his breach of etiquette.When he was raised, it would have been a huge faux pas to kiss you before you were officially a couple.“It wasn't appropriate,” Steve mumbled.

You shook your head and smiled brightly up at him. “No, silly soldier. It was perfect.” He gave you a look and you laughed.“Ok, it would have been slightly more perfect if we hadn’t just been attacked and were in the pouring rain, but the kiss itself was wonderful and perfect.Don’t forget, winghead, we’re not in the 40s, propriety has changed,” you reminded him gently.

Steve seemed to perk up tremendously and you leaned your head on his chest and strolled back to the cottage with his warm strong arm around you. You were shocked when you saw the shield agents hauling limp bodies into vans. "I called them after taking down the men who attacked us.They aren’t dead, but they aren’t exactly feeling very well either.Apparently a vibranium shield to the head does not feel good…” he chuckled dryly.You nodded and fought with your instincts to run to the injured men to examine them and help them.Steve must’ve noticed as his grip tightened on you and he led you more quickly into the cottage before you did something stupid.

You paused and stepped back form Steve to look him over again “Are you sure you’re alright?” you asked him nervously. You saw all of the limp bodies and knew how injured they were just from a glance and you were afraid Steve was more injured than he was letting on. 

Steve gave you a warm smile. “I’m fine, doll.Go get into dry clothes and pack so we can get out of here.The agents are taking us home as soon as we’re packed,” he told you and gave you a quick hug as if to reassure himself that you were alright.

You went to change into dry clothes and gather your things to pack them as quickly as possible, not caring how neatly they were fit into the suitcase.You wanted to go home after the day’s adventure, even if home right now was the shield building in New York.You were planning on moving back to your apartment soon and had invited Steve to move in with you, even if it was just until he got his own place. 

You finished packing your things and walked across the hall to see if Steve needed help with his.He was busy organizing his suitcase when you noticed his sketchbook on the desk. Moving over to it, you examined the drawing, if the sketchbook was open where you could see it, it was fair game.That was the rule, right? The drawing was similar to the one drawn the day you were out reading by the fire, only this time you were icing your swollen ankle, grinning into your book and not paying Steve a bit of attention while you spent time with your fictional friends.You smiled fondly at the page, still impressed with Cap’s attention to detail.

You jumped slightly when you felt large warm hands on your shoulders. You hadn’t been paying attention to what Steve was doing, and while he was big, he could be really quiet when he felt like it.You tilted your head back to see Steve smiling down at you."I draw what I see." He said warmly, smiling fondly at the drawing.

You shook your head as you looked back at the beautiful woman on the page.“You must be blind then. Because she is certainly is way too gorgeous to be me…” you said softly, your voice full of self-doubt. 

Steve’s grip on your shoulders tightened and he turned you to face him. “No.Mere pencil on paper isn’t capable of capturing your beauty nearly enough. Don't discount yourself that quickly,” he told you warmly, with genuine caring… or more… in his tone.

You smiled up at him and moved to take your bags to load them into the vans.Of course, Steve took your bag too before you could.You huffed and rolled your eyes at him, but let him do it.The agents were milling around outside and one held an umbrella over you, so you went with him to see what they were up to and ended up in conversation with them while Steve helped some of the others load the van. Steve looked over at you and started roaring in laughter.You looked at him confused until you realized the picture he was seeing: the tiny doctor in a bright yellow rain slicker and equally bright red rain boots surrounded by hulking agents in black tactical vests and guns.And yet, you were the one they were looking to as a superior.It was hilarious and you began to laugh as well and soon the laughter was loud enough among all of you that even the sound of the rain was drowned out.

Once the debriefs were completed and the scene was completely cleaned by the agents, including any evidence of you and Steve having lived in the cabin for the last few weeks, they all piled into the vans.One of the agents insisted that he was going to drive your car back to headquarters and you were coaxed (read: shoved) into the back of a shield SUV so they could drive you home safely. You were only barely not a civilian and they went out of their way to protect you, even if you were perfectly fine. You stripped off your bright yellow raincoat once you were in the heated SUV away from the wet and cold of the storm.The rain boots went next. You absolutely hated shoes unless they were necessary.It was also no coincidence that Steve ended up in the back of the SUV with you and you gave him a warm smile."They wouldn't let you drive either?" You teased Steve, amused at his annoyed expression.

"No ma'am. Apparently I am in a state of shock,” he replied with a laugh.

"That's the same thing they told me!" You whined.You were a doctor and could tell them that you were perfectly fine and they were supposed to believe you.

You looked him over yet again, but couldn't see any visible injury. "Steve, are you sure you’re ok?" You asked again. The look on the face of a tiny shoeless woman should not have been particularly frightening, but your look of solid determination was.

"Just a few bumps and bruises, nothing to worry about,” he reassured you honestly.Steve grinned and glanced at his lap in invitation. You unbuckled your seat belt and laid down over the two seats between them lay your head on his lap. Staring up at him, you stuck your tongue out at him, then reached up to poke his nose.He huffed and rolled his eyes at your silly antics, and laughing you spent the rest of the time telling stories.He told you stories of Brooklyn, the war, Sargent Barnes, and home.

"STEVE! I am honestly surprised you survived past the age of ten. Let alone were allowed out of the house!" You cried in outrage when he told you his extensive list of previous ailments, and his old habit of picking fights with bullies.

He chuckled.”That's what Buck used to say: 'Steve you shouldn't be getting into fistfights, or even leaving your bed for that matter.'" Steve pulled a funny face and did a really thick mock-Brooklyn accent to imitate his old friend.

She pinched the bridge of your nose in mock-exasperation and broke into giggles.You took a turn telling stories for awhile about you childhood (boring, except the parts where you learned how to use your limited magic), medical school (mostly boring), and working with incompetent coworkers who though _you_ were incompetent because you were so tiny and young-looking (absolutely horrendous). You were in the middle of telling a story about how it took three of your co-workers nearly a half an hour to try to find a vein before they’d call you for help when the van doors were rolled open.

Steve sat you up and maneuvered so he was in position to defend you from whoever opened the door. The movement was instantaneous and automatic, and the way his arm moved to hold you behind him gently, you felt his caring and gentleness toward you in the gesture, though he was prepared to defend you violently if necessary. 

No one ever got to see the soft side of Steve.

It was the side you loved best.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> collabed with Jane. Much love <3 <3

You, the tiny shoeless doctor, sighed and sat up when the van stopped and the door slid open.It was just the shield agents telling you that you'd arrived.You huffed grumpily; you’d been comfortable and warm with your head pillowed on the soldier and now you had to give up you cuddle.And put you shoes back on.You sighed and slipped the rainboots on and climbed out of the van after Steve.You gathered your bags from the other van and started back to their rooms."I know you mentioned that you don't want to live on shield property forever and I don't blame you.The offer stands that you can stay in my apartment, I have an extra bedroom..."You reminded Steve.You’d kept your apartment even after you'd been drafted by shield."No pressure, though," you added quickly. You wouldn’t force him to move in with you.

Steve looked down at you and saw you shift nervously as you waited for his answer."You're sure?" He asked.

You grinned in delight "Of course!" You exclaimed.

"Then if you really don't mind, I'd love too,” Steve said and your grin grew larger than your face should have allowed. Steve smiled. Maybe he would get to see you smile a lot more. Maybe he could even be the reason.

You arrived at their rooms and split off into your separate rooms.You changed into soft pajama pants and a tank top, glad to be dry and unpacked from your trip.That done, you settled down on the bunk issued to you and began leafing through you book. It was one of your all-time favorites but something was off and you couldn’t quite get into the story.

You finally realized why. 

Steve wasn’t there.

You were so used to Steve sitting next to you in the evenings, sketching or reading or just sitting while you read. The large super soldiers presence was reassuring. And now you didn't feel the comfortable weight of his arm on your knees, his warm presence at the other end of the sofa. And it was a lonely feeling

So you padded barefoot out of your room to Steve's room. You knocked quietly and waited for him to let you in. Steve came to the door with a hard expression but it melted when he saw you clutching you worn and obviously well-loved book. "Could I read in here?" You asked in a small voice.

"Of course." Steve replied warmly and stepped away from the door to let you in. You saw his automatic scanning of the hallway behind you as you slipped in, always alert of potential danger. 

His room was more furnished than your was. You had neglected to move anything from your apartment into your shield room, since you weren’t planning on living here forever. Steve had a bedspread other than standard regulation, a dark navy blue that fit him. A bookshelf with some books and various odds and ends, a record collection and player. He also had some draft posters hung on the walls. Mixed in with the 40's memorabilia was some modern additions. A starwars movie poster (you had watched it together and Steve had fallen in love) as well as a coffee maker and mini fridge.

Steve moved over to the record player and put on some soft jazz. You didn't know the artistas jazz wasn’t something you usually listened to, but it was relaxing. You settled on the couch as usual and Steve sat at the other end by her feet. He smiled when you tucked your freezing toes under his warm leg and his arm rested across your knees. You laid her head back and began reading, content in your quiet activity with the soldier.

You read together in Steve's room for a long while.It was a nice relaxing way to end the evening, even if you didn't speak while you were both enjoying your own quiet activities.Plus your toes didn't get cold when they were under the very warm super soldier.The music from the record player was soothing.You didn't know exactly when your eyes closed so you could focus on the music.You really didn't know when you couldn't reopen them again to return to your book.It was just so safe and comfortable around the super soldier and you'd had a hard day being stressed out from the fight.You weren’t used to fighting or being in that much danger and you were more worn out than you’d like to admit.As noticed by the fact that you fell asleep on Steve's couch, you book falling to her lap as you did.

Steve peered down at the sleeping girl. His girl. No, not yet. He reminded himself but soon. He really truly loved everything about you though. You kind, didn't move too fast for him despite being clearly smarter. You knew how to calm him down, even when he didn't realize he needed calming. And, you had stepped out in front of men with guns, to help a stranger.

He lifted you up effortlessly in his arms and walked carefully to you room. You stirred a little and he made a soft shhing noise to soothe you back to sleep. Your head rested on the perfect place on his shoulder as he cradled you in his warm safe arms.You were safe in the soldier’s arms and safe with him. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.He'd accepted the strangeness of having a girl with magic as friends... or more if that kiss was any indication.There was a soft relaxed smile on you face when he laid you in bed and tucked the blanket around you, brushing your hair back from your face when you were safely in your now bed.

And he may or may not have snuck a kiss on you forehead.

"Steve," you breathed, you whispered voice a soft caress and a gentle smile on your peacefully sleeping face.

Every fiber of his being screamed to stay. To hold you.To keep you safe while you slept,but he didn’t. It would break your trust in him if he stayed uninvited. "Yes, it's me. Goodnight, doll,” he bid you softly, his voice a whisper.Heleft the room, though it took all of his willpower. Even as he went to bed, as he lay there in the dark, his whole being pleaded to return to his best girl. Grudgingly he fell asleep.

*

The next morning you looked up from your breakfast in the mess to smile up at Steve as he approached the table."Amazing how no matter where I fall asleep in the house, I wind up in my own bed," you commented, by way of greeting as you had a few mornings while you were staying in the cabin. Especially after you'd fallen asleep on the couch and ended up waking in you bed inexplicably.

"Funny how that works,” Steve chuckled in reply as he took across from you at your table. ”You’re welcome to read with me any time,” Steve blurted out. He’d leaned to do that with more suave. Then you looked up at him with your big beaming smile and Steve's insides were gone. Just gone. Like he thought he might have died and gone to heaven if it weren't for the pungent aroma of steamed vegetable glop filling the room. "I mean, only if you want to, you don't have to um..." He stuttered.You gave him a bright smile and leans across the table to kiss his cheek.

Then you smirked at the very red Steve.Over a simple little cheek kiss at that.What was he going to do if you got up the courage to kiss him for real?"I sure _hope_ I'm allowed to read with you,” you teased "seeing as you're moving in to my apartment and we'll be sharing a living room where the reading tends to occur,”you glared at the vegetable glop on your tray "I can't wait to move back home.The food is way better even if I have to cook it myself," you grumbled."At least the coffee here is drinkable"

Steve let out a laugh. Far louder than he intended it to be. A few conversations around you stopped and the agents turned to look at you. Floor, hole, Steve. You looked at him with amusement. "I could do with some drinkable coffee right about now…” he grumbled.

You giggled and pressed his mug of coffee into his hands. ”Here, this should help, silly winghead," you teased him."Dare I ask what has you in such a snit this morning?”

Steve quieted and stared down at the glop on his tray. He shook his head and quickly drank the coffee. You shook her head with a smile and returned to you own seemingly regurgitated breakfast.

You both finished your breakfast quickly and went to the gym. You’d fallen into a routine of sorts at the cottage and when there was nothing better to do it seemed pointless to shake it up. Although as you ran through the drills (barley even drills since you still sucked) a thought chewed on the back of Steve's mind. Would you want to date him? He was damaged, PTSD ridden. An old war vet. Transplanted from a different time. There was no way he could he good enough for you. And yet, something about your smile stood as a little drop of hope. That maybe he could be better with you. That maybe he would be enough for you.

You had to keep most of her attention on the drills.You weren't very good yet, since you’d only had a few weeks of practice.Really, it was a miracle you could even throw a proper punch.While you were working, you wondered if he would ever want to date you either.When you first met him, he'd been so hung up on his lost love.You could never replace the woman he'd lost when he went into the ice. You'd been careful not to pressure him, to try to stick to purely a friendship, unless he wanted more.But he'd kissed you.Didn't that indicate he wanted more?He hadn't made any indication that he wanted to repeat the experience, though.Was he too afraid?Or did he not want you? 

Your drills finished and you still hadn't decided what to do.And you had a shift in the medbay.So you did something stupid and reckless.And stupid.You bounced up on your toes and kissed him, extremely lightly, just a chaste peck on the lips. "I'll see you later, soldier," you told him with a grin that lit up your entire face and moved to flee before you had to possibly face seeing the rejection or horror on his face from being kissed

Steve reached out more quickly than you could even see to grab your wrist. You looked down at your feet as he moved to stand in front of you. You were expecting a lecture on how rude it was to just kiss someone without permission.Instead, his fingers went under your chin and he lifted your chin gently, just enough for you to see the look of adoration on his face. You gave him a small tentative smile and he leaned in and kissed you properly and you couldn’t help melting into the gentle warmth of your super soldier. He broke the kiss and stepped backwards with a goofy grin slapped on his face. He gave you a mock salute. "Whatever you say!" He laughed.

You giggled at his silly antics afterwards."We'll go out and get some real food after my shift, winghead.I don't think either of us can stand another meal of vegetable glop," you teased."Tell Fury you're moving out soon, would'ya?" You continued teasing and rushed off to grab a quick shower before you started your shift

Steve walked up to Fury's office. He was sick of the man so he might just take your. He walked right in. "Captain you know ya gotta knock man?" Fury deadpanned.

"Yes sir, but this will be quick. I'm moving out, sir,”Steve said cutting to the chase.

"Where on Earth will you go? " Fury asked.

"I have a feeling that you know. But if it's all the same to you sir, I'm leaving tomorrow." Steve said. Fury nodded curtly and settled back at his desk. Steve turned and walked out. Getting to the infirmary wasn't hard. Getting there without the tiny doctor who ran the place noticing, well that was another story. Though today, Steve made it. He saw his tiny adorable doctor working on replenishing some IV bags. It was a quiet day since one of the agents were doing anything stupid today, so you got to do boring mindless tasks and daydream about kissing Steve.It was a pleasant way to spend the morning.He walked up behind you and kissed the top of your head while you were lost to a daydream. "I told him I'd leave tomorrow." He whispered into your ear.

You turned to face him and grinned up at him after his whisper in your ear sent a shiver down your spine. "That's great news!Fury wasn't too upset with you, was he?" You asked him, always so concerned about him and his well being."Regardless, we best pack.Just imagine, real food and comfortable beds~" you purred at the idea

"No, he wasn't terribly upset. And I believe that once you get off shift we pack, blow this joint and then take naps in real beds?" He offered. He wrapped his arms around your waist to pull you into a hug. You were small, seemingly fragile, but he knew for a fact that you weren’t. He had been sad about Peggy, but somehow you had washed all that away. "How would you feel about coming with me to visit Peggy? I don't know if I could go alone..." He murmured his voice trailing off. "If not that's fine, but I think she might like to meet you." He finished resting his head on yours.

Your arms wrapped automatically around his waist and you laid your head on his chest, comfortable in his arms and in his presence.You seemed small and fragile in comparison to the super soldier, but you had her own strength. "Of course I'll come with you to visit Peggy," you'd heard all about his lost love over your weeks together."Is that before or after our naps in real beds?" You teased, looking up at him to stick you tongue out at him, determined to keep him in a good mood

"Oh God, naps in real beds sound fantastic. How about I move my things and we go visit her tomorrow?" He suggested. "I wouldn't want to spoil such enticing promises of sleep." He added. You smiled up at your silly super soldier. He grinned down at you in reply. Untangling himself from you he gave you a silly salute. "Back to work, soldier” he mock ordered causing you to double over in a fit of giggles.

You erupted into helpless giggles."Not a soldier!" You reminded him with a smirk."Now get out of here before I get bored and decide you need a physical," you teased and turned to get back to work

At the threat of a physical, Steve bolted from the room. He walked up to his room and began putting all of his things in boxes. He wasn't sad to leave. But he _was_ excited to have a tiny adorable doctor to read with all the time.


End file.
